M.G. Moinuddin: A self-taught genius is dead

sans serif records with regret the passing away of M.G. Moinuddin, the compositor who rose to become one of India’s top newspaper designers, in Bombay on Monday, 21 July 2008.

The Hyderabad-born Moinuddin was a self-taught man who counted a chance encounter with Aurobind Patel, the chief design consultant of India Today who went on to design The Economist, as the turning point in his career.

It pulled him away from advertising into journalism.

Moinuddin then went on to design such publications as Debonair, The Sunday Observer, The Independent, and and The Pioneer for Vinod Mehta; and the The Sunday Times of India, The Illustrated Weekly of India and The New Indian Express, among other publications.

Moinuddin was deaf in both ears and editors had to pass written instructions. But he didn’t let that small handicap cloud his vision. When not at the drawing board, Moinuddin would be devouring Albert Camus and other literary heavies on the side.

6 Comments

I have met Shri M.G. Moinuddin once with my dad at Chennai when he was there to redesign The New Indian Express. I have seen him discussing on ‘typography’ for hours and hours… The publishing industry in India will miss him.

Shri M.G. Moinuddin’s book on typography was well written. I had a chance to go through it’s first draft. He wanted it to be published as a quality product. But then, it never happend… We will miss you sir…

It is a colossal loss for the Typographers and Designers of India. In this age of fast-food, fast-font and everything instant, it was gratifying to have a voice of authority that spelt out the nuances of typography and took it to an art form. His genius, erudition, intellect and artistry in Typography will be missed big time and I doubt if this void will ever be filled.